


Needy

by covacola



Series: The Boys Have Issues™ [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Emotionally Repressed, Fluff, Hesitantion, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-01-30 18:09:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21432502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/covacola/pseuds/covacola
Summary: They all knew Noctis, at his core, was a needy little cuddle monster. Even before they'd all untangled their stupidly overcomplicated almost-relationship into the chaotically functional actual relationship they had now, they'd all noticed how much Noct held back from chasing just about every touch.Noctis is baby but he's also holding back and the bros are like bro why and Noctis??? Noctis is fuckin BABY.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: The Boys Have Issues™ [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1548097
Comments: 18
Kudos: 168





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THERE HAD BEEN NO PARAGRAPH BREAKS I SCREAMED so I fixed it oof  
2nd Edit: I am finally proofreading everything yay

They all knew Noctis, at his core, was a needy little cuddle monster. Even before they'd all untangled their stupidly overcomplicated almost-relationship into the chaotically functional actual relationship they had now, they'd all noticed how much Noct held back from chasing just about every touch.

So, yeah. Ignis standing still for two whole minutes? Noct would slip his arms around Iggy and press his face to his back. Prompto chilling, playing King's Knight or something? Noct would tangle himself into him. Gladio laying down and reading? Noct would kinda just drape himself over him.

It was nice. By their previous standards, it was a lot. And yet Noct still had this...neediness. He still chased even the most casual graze of the fingers. He still whined every time one of the pulled away, even if he'd encouraged it. He didn't hold back so much anymore, and it was a start but... It clearly wasn't enough.

The only time Noct ever seemed truly content was at night, all four of them a pile of tangled limbs, pressed tightly together, usually ending up curled in layers around Noct, said limbs still limply tangled. At those precious times, Noctis would just turn to jelly. His shoulders would relax, his back next, his waist, his limbs, everything would just settle. He'd shift a little just for the contact. And then he'd quietly fight his usual drowse, like he wanted those times to last forever, even if they already had promised them to him ever night for the rest of forever.

"Needy" was definitely a word Prom would use to describe Noct. Only around Iggy and Gladio of course. Everything was still kinda awkwardly hush hush but that was a whole other can of worms. Noct definitely enjoyed and seemed to need a lot of contact. And yet, even on lazy days where the two of them would basically only stop cuddling to take a piss or something-- you know they feed each other, or get Iggy or even Gladio to feed them-- it still seemed like he was... Holding back.

In fact, Prom-- well, all three of them-- could pinpoint exactly where Noct seemed to draw back. Every. Time. Noctis was almost like a really affectionate cat sometimes. He didn't just kinda squirm comfortably when cuddling. His face, his shoulders, his back, everything. Like a cat brushing up against your legs. He'd loosely drape his arms around them, only barely pulling, more leading them to come closer. And then he'd rest his head against them and pull back. Or just stay like that. But he'd tense. Like he'd gotten some sort of grip on himself. He didn't like it.

"Don't do that," Prom whined.

"Do what?" Noct mumbled sleepily.

Prompto paused, eyes trailing over his bare torso. Scars and scars over muscles sculpted over a body that seemed to refuse letting go of what it'd tried so desperately to recover from. He could almost see where the knots were in his back. Where things hurt. He placed his palm just at the edge of the tension area.

Noct tensed just slightly, but he was more comfortable with Prom touching him especially. They'd found out Prom was really good at easing the tense muscles. "Don't keep holding yourself back." Noct's whole form tensed visibly. Prom rubbed soothingly, more just to generate heat than anything. It only slightly helped.

"You keep... Stopping yourself," Six, how did he describe it?

"Prompto," Noct's voice was cold and fragile as icicles, "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Prompto but his lip a little, but didn't miss a beat, "okay."

They'd both had... A lot of heavy, deep, emotional, hurtful things to talk about over the years. At one point, they'd just mutually agreed that if one asked to drop a subject, it was dropped. With the understanding, of course, that it would be explained eventually, when they were ready. He had no idea when it'd be.

He wanted to say something more. Explain that he just...wanted Noct to not have to hurt so much. He wasn't sure before, but based on that request alone, this must be something that's hurting him. Badly. Prompto... Didn't want to be a part of something like that. Not for Noct.

He continued to rub his back for a few minutes until Noct's breathing and heartrate came back down and he relaxed some. Then Prompto leaned down and kissed him. Dead center. Just below where the scar was widest.

The first time Prompto had touched him there, Noct had literally sprung away from him, all but yowling like Prom had stabbed him or something. But now? Now there was... More. Trust, comfort, love. Just to name a few things. Noctis, blessedly, relaxed into it, and Prom held him for a little while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will NEVER pass up an opportunity for casual body appreciation for our babes okay NEVER. EVER.


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

One of the bonuses for their relationship was being able to get the Prince up earlier in the mornings. Gladio, already used to bunking with Noct most nights before, had mastered slipping away from “His Royal Clinginess.” Ignis, on the other hand, had not. One would have thought after so much more time with him, he’d have figured something out by now. But as they grew older, they’d found it less appropriate to share a bed. Prior to this, it’d been years since Ignis had had to wriggle out of Noct’s grasp. 

Now, though. When he needed to get up, he’d gently rouse their sleepy prince. Soft words, light touches, just enough for Noct to acknowledge him. Then he’d slip away just a bit and Noct would follow, wrapping his arms around him for warmth. From there, he could generally coax Noct out of bed with him with the promise of more snuggling as he went about their morning routine. Iggy was so gentle and persuasive, this actually worked-- to Gladio and Prompto’s astonishment. This of course only worked if he could also get Prompto up. With another lazy bum to cuddle with, Noct would probably never get out of bed for anything. 

This morning, though, Gladio had bullied Prompto into training with him early. Prompto was ever eager to learn, but not before dawn. But that wasn’t all. Gladio had the ulterior motive of taking on the seemingly impossible task of fixing that boy’s sleep schedule, a mission Ignis wished him the best of luck on. He himself had given up on that battle long ago. All that to say that he had Noct more or less to himself for the morning until those two got back. 

At the moment, Noct had contented himself to curling up in one of the camping chairs, staring blankly at his phone. But as soon as the seasoned meat hit the grill, the aroma got Noct to poke his head up. Ignis smiled to himself, “hungry?” 

“Yeah, a bit,” Noct muttered. Despite this, he curled up tighter on himself. He clearly wasn’t quite ready to start the day, not yet. 

Ignis finished cooking and made two plates, leaving the rest covered for the other two, then walked over, setting Noct’s carefully on the armrest in front of where he’d tucked his head under his arm. Noct had evidently dozed as he seemed groggier than before when he lifted his head again. He mumbled a thanks, then began to carefully unfold himself, making sure to not knock over his food. He seemed sluggish as he set the plate on his lap, staring out blankly into the distance. 

Ignis knew that look. It was a look that meant Noct was either too distracted or too exhausted to pay attention to either eating or processing how hungry he actually was. He’d eaten less than usual the night before, so Ignis definitely was not letting him skim another meal. He eyed Noct with interest, an idea coming to him. “Come here, darling.” This got Noct’s attention, his head whipped around. Ignis smirked, “I’ll feed you.” 

Noct’s eyes widened just slightly, but he didn’t hesitate. Noct pretty much never passed up an offer to be pampered, and especially not by Ignis. Iggy was less likely to tease him than the other two. Supposedly. 

Ignis lifted his own plate from his lap. Noct replaced it in about a second, turned to the side, already tucking his head under Ignis’s. After a bit of shuffling, Ignis was, as promised, feeding him, a gentle kiss to Noct’s temple to sweeten the deal. Noct ate happily, probably not even realizing he was eating easier than he had in days. Or rather, not stopping to space out for five minutes after every bite, then losing his appetite. After a few minutes of this, Noct felt content and guilty enough to eat on his own and let Iggy eat his own food. 

Still, Ignis kept the affection coming. Rubbing his arm, his back, resting his head on Noct’s and the like. Noctis slowly relaxed against him, content. After they finished, Noct having unconsciously eaten everything-- vegetables included-- without a fuss, he held the stacked plates, balance the utensils while Ignis held him for awhile. His eyes slid closed, the smallest smile tugging at his cheeks. Ignis brushed through his hair, kissed the top of his head. It was nice. 

Ignis waited a few measured minutes, gauging Noct’s state. Noctis relaxed against him and had only just began cuddling closer when, as unfortunately expected, he tensed. Noct didn’t pull away, but he froze where he was. Not horribly uncomfortable, but his bearings had shifted enough for him to notice. He continued to pet Noct’s hair, asking casually, “everything alright, love?” 

“Yeah.” Too quick, and Noct knew it. Ignis could feel Noct’s grimace more than see it. He squirmed a bit, wanting to pull away, but another gentle kiss stopped him. 

Ignis tried to coax him out of this...whatever it was. He continued to brush his fingers through Noct’s hair, showering him with feathery kisses. But Noct seemed unable to relax as he had before. He began to shiver in Iggy’s arms, pushing away more insistently. Iggy held him close, whispering sweet comfort to him, but Noct only seemed to tense more. 

“Iggy, please, I don’t want to do this right now.” He pushed himself away from Ignis, only barely keeping a grip on the plates. Ignis relented, looking troubled. “I’ll clean these,” Noct said, quickly slipping away from him, “don’t worry about it.” He made a point of not looking at him, but Ignis could sense his eyes were a bit puffy. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. Now wasn’t the time. 

Ignis had already left some things to soak, so Noct busied himself with those too. Anything to keep himself busy. It wasn’t worth it, wasn’t worth talking about. It was a stupid worry and he knew it. He'd get over it, and it'd only be more upsetting to drag the others down this useless rabbit hole he's get over eventually anyway. 

He tensed as he heard Iggy approach, but didn't protest as he was wrapped in a loose but nevertheless warm hug from behind. Iggy rested his chin on Noct's shoulder, and after a moment, Noct relaxed into it. Ignis smirked as Noct flushed. Not that he wasn't guilty of the same at times, but it was always satisfying to see such reactions from such little things. He gave Noct a peck on the cheek then pulled away, though not completely letting go of him. Now wasn't the time. Not quite yet. 

Dishes done, Noct found himself with nothing to distract himself. He stared at his hands, a bit wrinkled where they rested. His jaw clenched. Ignis was about to say something when Noct shook his head slightly and seemed to pull himself out of it. Ignis was slow, a bit exaggerated as not to startle him, but kissed the top of his head. Noct's shoulders slumped, giving Ignis the impression he was more exhausted than relaxed. He gave Noct a quick squeeze, and as expected Noct leaned back as he relaxed his grip. More easy silence. 

Noct's eyes were closed, head leaned back against Ignis's shoulder. Still, his eyes seemed focused behind closed lids. He couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking of. Still...the most tactful way to brooch the subject...

"Iggy," he had his attention immediately, but Noct didn't give him a chance to speak. His voice was quiet. Calm, but, yes, tired. "I don't want to talk about it right now," he insisted

Ignis nodded. After a moment. "But you will? Tell us what's been bothering you, I mean. Yes?" Noct made a face and turned away. Whatever he said, Ignis wouldn't believe it now. Ignis gently kissed Noct's neck. "Just remember that..." He chose his words carefully. _ Not patronizing, give him space. _ "Whatever you face... We stand with you." 

That seemed right. Or at least it got Noctis to...well not relax. Wilt, more like. But he let go of the tension he'd been holding onto. And that was something. That was fine for now. 


	3. Chapter 3

Whatever he said, Gladio knew that Noct liked being manhandled just as much as Prompto did. He could pick up and throw Noct around easily. He'd been doing it for years. Now it was not only a valid method of combat, it was pretty commonplace flirting. He could catch Noct by the waist and have him half flung over his shoulder before Noct could even pretend to protest. Or do anything else about it. 

From over his shoulder, Noct would do some truly impressive acrobatics between using Gladio's back to support the movement and flip over him, pushing him forward, but also following up with fast reflexes to catch his arm and use his lack of balance to pull him back.  _ Impressive  _ as of course a synonym for hot. It wasn't easy to knock Gladio off balance, nor was it any small feit to push him around. Okay, so mayyyybe Noct cheated a little with magic and a cute ass, but hey. He could. 

Training turned to a playful smack on the ass, which turned to shoving and sticking out tongues, which turned to making out. Noct didn't just have upper body strength, either. Gladio barely needed to support Noct's thighs as they wrapped around his waist, upper arms carrying some weight at Gladio's shoulders, hands busy with his hair. Anything else awkward and uncomfortable was either easily ignored or easily compensated with Gladio's aforementioned ability to hold Noct. 

There were little things each of them only had with one other between them. And Noct had a specific glint, a specific smirk that only Gladio could bring out. He loved it. It was part mischievous, part sly, part competitive, and part smartass and it drove Gladio crazy in all the best ways. But this was still Noct. And sometimes, like this, just to be a tease and an ass, he'd drop the whole thing just as things got heated. 

He sighed, content as a cat basking in a spot of sunlight, and rested his head against Gladio's shoulder. From experience, he knew Noct would hold on and make him carry him everywhere until he was persuaded to let go. Gladio snorted in mock disappointment. He'd probably never say it aloud, but he enjoyed this just as well. Noct was just starting to nuzzle into his neck when he inhaled. It wasn't quite sharp, but it was like he was waking up from a dream. 

He tensed a little awkwardly in Gladio's arms, slipping his arms off a bit to imply he wanted down. Gladio tried to hold onto the moment. He didn't know why Noct got like this, but it was nice to be close and it definitely seemed to help. He grinned and kissed Noct's temple. For a moment, it almost worked, Noct predictably melting into a puddle at the bit of affection. He usually turned to jelly when any of them gave him this kind of attention, but the stark change from Gladio's usually tough kind of love seemed especially effective. 

But only for a moment. Noct relaxed but then tensed again, even more noticably. Gladio frowned, trying to get Noct to meet his eyes. For a split second, he did. Gladio's eyes narrowed as he tried to work through what he'd seen in that brief moment. Noct had seemed...almost scared. It was the look he got when he'd caught him trying to sneak out under his and Iggy's nose to have a sleepover at Prompto's. Like he knew Gladio would be upset, but not upset enough to make it a huge deal. It was a specific threshold and it made him wonder. 

Iggy had already asked. So had Prompto. Noct clearly wasn't ready to talk. So, logically, there wasn't anything to do but move on and try to set him at ease. That in mind, he readjusted Noct, bouncing him slightly as he'd slipped down to put a bit uncomfortable pressure on his shoulders, and carried him back toward camp. No words, no fuss. This much, at least, seemed to work. Noct buried his face in Gladio's shoulder, like he'd done so many times feeling guilty when Gladio'd carried him out of meetings he'd fallen asleep in as a child. But he didn't try to squirm away and was still cuddly rather than distant as they got back. 

In Gladio's mind-- and Ignis and Prompto would agree-- that was enough of a win, for now. 


	4. Chapter 4

All Noctis could think about was how stupid he was being. He didn't have time to waste like this. Nor should he be wasting the others' time and energy worrying over him. It just... Was still  _ weird. _ I mean, yeah, sure, he'd  _ said _ he could talk to them about anything and everything, and it was almost true. Except, well, this. 

But he kept catching their expressions. Their more and more frequent attempts to coax him into being comfortable enough to talk. The whole problem was they weren't supposed to have noticed in the first place. But tonight was... Well, different. Of course it was. He wouldn't be doing all this weird self reflection stuff if it wasn't. 

They hadn't given up on it as a lost cause. That had to mean something, right? But they'd grown to more so just. Soft press him. Very, very gently. Tactfully. Make it so it didn't feel smothering or make him feel anxious or put under a huge fuckin search light. So that was also probably almost definitely something. Right? He mentally shook himself. 

They were crammed onto a single bed in a camper and it was a bit tight but also suuuuper nice and warm and soft and it _totally_ didn't still give him butterflies. 

Prompto was fiddling with his camera, taken apart and it looked like he was cleaning/replacing some stuff. Gladio was reading,  _ for a change _ . Big shocker. Noctis could just barely make out some old timey lingo that instantly triggered his academic ptsd and shut down any further processing of what the hell any of it actually translated to. Iggy was on his phone, scrolling through a news feed or cooking blog or something. It had pictures, reflected in his glasses, but his screen brightness was all the way up and he had no idea how Iggy's eyes weren't watering. He didn't look long. Judging by the relaxed posture, however, he'd guess cooking stuff. 

Gladio was mostly laying down, head the right way. Prompto was the exact opposite, trying to be both mindful of not kicking Gladio while also not accidentally shifting his weight too much and falling off the bed entirely. Iggy had his back against the wall, two sets of legs layered over his. Noct himself had awkwardly woven his arms into just about anywhere they could fit. But his head was next to Prom's shoulder, craned so he was technically staring up at the ceiling but could still look around. "Next to" meaning all but buried in his armpit. Prompto was also trying to not accidentally break his nose on top of all this. Whoops. Maybe a little distracting. 

His back was kind of in Iggy's lap, but twisted toward him, one knee bent to create an angle around Iggy's waist. The other was stretched back, offering support to one of Gladio's arms. He'd only snorted at Noctis's absurd bit of gymnastics. One arm was under his head, but the other had found Gladio's which was occasionally pulled away so he could turn a page in his book. Still, it always came back. But that was probably influenced by Noct's huffs and wiggling fingers. 

After a decent while of this, Noct nuzzled into the soft skin under Prom's upper arm. His voice was quiet as to not totally disturb the comfortable silence. "I... Think I'm ready." 

Prompto's head snapped immediately toward him, even if he couldn't comfortably crane his neck all the way. "Oh?" He tried to ask, mock casually. He knew what Noct was saying. 

This had also gotten Iggy and Gladio's attention, both looking up from their respective pass times. Noct suddenly felt his courage draining a bit. That is, until Gladio began to run his thumb over Noct's knuckles, Iggy gently rubbing his back through his shirt. Prompto turned and curled up around him a little, allowing Noct to turn his head a little bit back towards Ignis, not so uncomfortable, and nuzzling into his hair just a bit. "Yeah?" He said encouragingly. 

Warm, comforting affection spread through his chest, like a blooming flower. Still, his stomach tightened. "I guess I've just been... Moody." Gladio couldn't help but snort again, and even Iggy breathed out a chuckle. Perhaps it was because they hadn't been there when he and Prompto had established their little "code," if it could be called that, but Prom remained still. 

Noctis... suddenly felt apart from them. And he didn't like it. He liked having time alone, of course. And while his anxiety demanded he need some space and time to himself, he'd grown up in a bustle of guards and whatnot. Utter isolation was a foreign concept in a city as big as Insomnia, even within the immense, grand space of the palace. He glanced at Prompto, but only for a moment. Just so he could see the...depth in what he was about to say. "I've been thinking about my duty as King." 

Iggy and Gladio hadn't seen it. In fact, Noctis had kept this secret from them since forever. Prompto had been the only one he could confide in. So it was no surprise when he stiffened, the other two stilling in what Noctis assumed was confusion. His mouth suddenly felt dry, but he wasn't going to leave them in the dark any longer. He loved them too much to keep keeping secrets. "I love this. I love you guys, you know that, but--"

Gladio shifted, leaning up on one arm facing them. Noctis didn't have to look to know what kind of look he was being given. Iggy's gentle caress spoke for itself. Somewhere, deep in their subconscious, they knew Noct had to keep at least a  _ few _ secrets from them. But it still always shocked them when they realized they really _ didn't  _ know everything about him. Disturbed them, in fact. 

"This can't last." 

His voice was soft, a breathless whisper. 

His eyes suddenly burned and he couldn't even face his head toward Prompto. Instead muffling himself into the sheets, "one day, I'm going to have to... Have to... I'm King. A King needs heirs--" he felt sick. 

He felt the mattress shift suddenly, Gladio swaying just a little. This hit him especially hard, too. The line of Shields, supposedly, must also continue. "I--" but Gladio didn't seem to have anything to say. 

Ignis had frozen up. They'd shared this wonderful little dream, this cozy little bubble. And Noct had had to go and pop it, shattering it, ruining everything. Iggy's voice was level, but Noct knew it was fragile too. He'd known Iggy long enough to tell. "Does... Do you still write Lunafreya--" 

"She knows," Noct supplied quickly. "She knows and, um, she's actually tried to get me to say something sooner--"

"Wait, really?" Prompto sounded genuinely shocked. 

Noctis felt his face warm. He knew they could see his ears go red. "She's known...for years now..."

He could almost see Prom's eyes widen as his pitched raised just a little.  _ "Years?" _

Gladio's smirk was just as obvious. "And here we thought this was all a relatively new development," he teased. Noct huffed, but he ran his thumbs over Noct's knuckles again soothingly. "Sorry to have kept you waiting." 

Noctis turned, exasperated. Gladio's widening smirk made it obvious he'd done it on purpose, but to give himself a little more time to get an actual response to  _ that _ in, he blurted what he'd originally thought to say. "Gladio. That was probably the  _ sappiest _ crap you've ever said to me." Gladio's chuckle ended it. 

Prompto shifted, getting their attention. "So...if Luna's okay with it," he began, "and, I mean-- I'm okay with it, I'm assuming you guys are okay with this..." He looked around anxiously, but he needn't have bothered and he knew it. He cleared his throat, "so... I mean... I know there's gonna be some expectations and stuff but... If Luna supports this, then, um, I dunno, shouldn't it be okay for now?" 

"For now," Noct replied, getting a bit moodier. 

"Right," Prom continued quickly, seeing where Noct's mood was headed. "Soooo we'll just. Talk it out with her then. You know, maybe, I don't know--"

"We'll hammer out the finer points with her as they arise," Ignis supplied. Prompto's beam at him melted all three of them. His sheepishness as they realized it only compounded it. 

Before Noct knew what was happening, they'd somehow tangled into a snuggle pile of arms and legs and  _ so much warmth. It was so nice.  _

But before things could escalate or anything, he wanted to finish this. Once and for-- for now. He sheepishly added, "so that's what's been bothering me." 

They all blinked at him, then, remembering belatedly that that's what they'd been talking about, he watched it click, settle into their heads all at once. Gladio was the one who voiced it. "So that's why you've been extra cuddly, but then tense up and shy away after awhile? You were trying to make the most of it, then feeling guilty." Honestly it was sometimes annoying and endearing as hell that Gladio could read him like a sappy novel. But he nodded. 

There were suddenly arms around him, holding him, hugging him tightly and cradling him close and wow it was a lot. Overwhelming. He felt tears sting his eyes, but it wasn't bad. It didn't hurt. He didn't even  _ actually _ cry. It was just nice. It felt nice to finally,  _ finally _ let himself be comforted. Entirely. For real. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnd so it ends. I still have I think one more chapter for Cold and then that should do it!! Wow this took me forever to finish oof. These were supposed to be side projects but no mistakes only happy accidents and I'm very happy about this series ahhh thanks for reading!!!!


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